September 09, 2011 - 02:43PM

ONE ON ONE: Shortly after co-moderating the GOP presidential debate this week, NBC's Brian Williams will sit down with President Obama for an interview, the network announced.

The interview, which will include segments on the Sept. 11 attacks and Obama's new jobs plan, will be shown starting Sunday..

September 09, 2011 - 12:08PM

A LITTLE BIT LOUDER NOW: President Obama roared into a crescendo at a University of Richmond rally Friday morning, demanding once again that Congress approve his jobs package to help the economy.

“Pass this bill,” Obama practically screamed a half-dozen times as his audience cheered him on.

Obama commanded his supporters to pressure their members of Congress to put aside politics and support the jobs measure. He told them to call, email, “Tweet,” fax, “Facebook” and “send a carrier pigeon” to get the message across.

FROM THE TOP -- President Obama walks on stage at the University of Richmond to wild cheers from the audience. "It is good to be in Richmond, Virginia," Obama says to more cheers.

Obama gives a special mention to Tim Kaine, the former head of the Democratic National Committee. (11:37 a.m.)

Obama says he hasn't seen the sun "in about five days." Someone yells that they love Obama and he shoots back, "I love you, too."

Getting serious, Obama says the country is going through "difficult times."

"You have every right to be frustrated," Obama says. The public doesn't have time for politics, he says. (11:40 a.m.)

President Obama says that "you expect action, and you deserve it right now."

"That's why, after a few scheduling issues, I went to Congress last night," Obama says, alluding to his tiff with House Speaker John Boehner.

Obama talks of his jobs bill and Congress: "They should pass it right away." Everything in it, he says, has been supported previously by both parties. "Nothing radical in this bill," he says. (11:42 a.m.)

Obama talks for a bit about the jobs that would come about if his bill is passed, including construction work. He says he wants the best stuff to be built in the United States, China. The crowd starts chanting, "USA! USA!"

"There's work to be done," Obama says. "Let's pass this jobs bill right away." (11:45 a.m.)

President Obama says that extending unemployment insurance for another year would prevent the economy from shrinking.

Obama targets the Republicans: "You guys have made pledges never to raise taxes on anybody ever again. You can't make an exception when the tax breaks are going to middle-class people." (11:50 a.m.)

President Obama promises an "ambitious" deficit reduction plan that will come out in a little bit. He says the rich should "pay their fair share," and the crowd goes wild.

"I understand nobody likes paying taxes," he says. "I pay a lot of taxes. I mean, you could look -- it's public, the taxes I pay. It's serious." They laugh.

He continues: "But, you know, we've always lived based on the principle that everybody's got to pay their fair share. And we've got to make some choices. We've got to decide, what are our priorities?" (11:52 a.m.)

President Obama harps on the taxing-the-rich bit for a few minutes.

"Should we keep tax breaks for millionaires and billionaires?" he asks. No, the audience says. "We’ve got to make real choices about the kind of country we want to be. That’s not class warfare. I’m not attacking anybody. That’s just simple math." (11:55 a.m.)

But back to the meat of the jobs bill: Both parties "should be supporting" the ideas now, Obama says. "That will only happen, though, if they set politics aside for a moment to deal with America's problems," he says.

Obama asks the people -- "anybody watching, listening, following online" -- to call, email, "Tweet" (cheers), fax, "Facebook," "send a carrier pigeon" -- "I want you to tell your congressperson the time for gridlock and games is over."

"Pass this bill -- if you want construction workers on the work site, pass this bill," he says. He repeats "pass this bill" a half-dozen times, getting louder and louder. "If you want a tax break, pass this bill," he says.

"Let's get something done," Obama roars. "The next election is 14 months away." The crowd cheers a bit. "We cannot wait," he says. "Now's the time to put Americans back to work. Now's the time to act." (12:00 p.m.)

September 09, 2011 - 10:38AM

ERIC WHO? -- White House press secretary Jay Carney said Friday that he "wasn't even aware" that House Majority Leader Eric Cantor had an event scheduled in Richmond on the same day that President Obama is expected to speak there.

Briefing reporters on Air Force One en route to Richmond, Carney said the trip was close enough to Washington to be quick, but far enough away to be "outside of the Beltway."

He also said that the White House welcomes "the conciliatory tone" that House Speaker John Boehner and Cantor took in their statements after Obama's job speech Thursday night.

Asked about next week's trip to Ohio, Carney said it has nothing to do with Boehner. “We travel all over the country,” he said. “Richmond is a great place to go.” -- Abby Phillip.

September 09, 2011 - 07:47AM

PASSING ON PERRY: Vice President Biden on Friday dismissed Rick Perry’s criticism of President Obama’s jobs plan, saying the campaign rhetoric can wait until next fall.

Biden, who made the rounds on TV shows the morning after Obama's jobs speech to Congress, was asked to respond to the Texas governor’s comment that the president’s plan is “guided by his mistaken belief that he can spend our way to prosperity.”

Biden didn’t take the bait.

“I though the best line that the president used last night, that he and I talked about before in principle, is, ‘Look, the campaign is 14 months away,’ ” Biden told George Stephanopoulos on “Good Morning America.”

“They’re people who are hanging on by their fingernails, and for us to play this game between -- we can fight that out next fall. Fight it out," he added. "Say whatever you want about our plan. Right now, help these people now, and we can.”.

September 09, 2011 - 04:42AM

TO THE PEOPLE: President Obama promised in his jobs speech on Thursday that he would take his new message to "every corner of this country." On Friday, he'll start by taking a short flight south to Richmond so he can speak at the city's main university. The White House says Obama will talk about the "bipartisan proposals to grow the economy and create jobs as part of the American Jobs Act.".